Take Off
by mardel
Summary: Darien and Bobby get to chase Arnaud into another country. And meet some new people from the north.


Take Off (To the Great White North)  
by mardel Mature rating

As the plane came in for a landing at Ottawa International Airport. Darien was hardly able to contain his eagerness at their arrival. It had been years since he'd been allowed to do any traveling. But now that Claire had the gland under control he and Bobby were about to engage on their first mission on foreign soil.

"Take it easy Fawkes, or the flight crew is going to think you're up to something." Bobby warned him with a hand on his arm. Darien was sitting in the isle seat with his partner in the seat beside him. They had lost their window seat mate when the plane had landed in Chicago.

"Okay, it's just so great to go somewhere." Darien was looking out the window on his side of the plane then craning his neck to look out the windows on the other side of the plane too.

"Is everything alright?" One of the male flight attendants asked on his way down the isle. He stopped beside Darien's seat.

"Yeah, he's just excited. It's his first time visiting his family's homeland." Bobby stretched the truth about why Darien was acting like a little kid.

"Oh, what part of Canada does your family come from?" The steward smiled and asked.

"A place called Joliette, we're going to start in Ottawa and work our way east." Darien told his cover story.

"You picked the right time of the year for a visit. Enjoy your trip gentlemen"  
The steward said and moved on down the isle.

The plane landed ten minutes later and they filed off the plane as their turn came. Darien was stretching in the isle his sweater riding up as he did so, revealing the taunt muscles of his back to his partner behind him.

Bobby lifted an eyebrow at Darien's casual display of his anatomy, but he said nothing. He did admire the long lean muscles being flexed in front of him. But he just urged Darien to move as the line of people progressed slowly out of the side door. 

"Keep it moving there partner." Bobby nudged Darien with the carry on bag he carried. He had a special permit for his sidearm but he had to carry it in a bag he placed under his seat during the flight.

"Do we have to go to the Legat first or the hotel first?" Darien asked once they were in the terminal.

"First we have to go through customs, then I think a guy from the legat is meeting us to take us to the local Bureau office." Bobby reminded him.

"Are you really okay with this?" Darien asked. Turning to look at Bobby's face so he could gage his answer better.

"Yeah, I'm fine with it. I told you already. All of that was settled. Working with the Bureau is just like working with any other agency, we keep our eyes open and our mouths shut." Bobby nodded.

Darien lifted a hand to his partners shoulder, stroked it down over Bobby's upper arm, in a gesture of support. He would never have agreed to this mission if Bobby had shown any sign that he was bothered by working with the fee-  
bee's again.

"Come on the customs check in is this way." Bobby motioned towards the left.

Darien had checked his only bag as he wasn't allowed to officially carry a sidearm out of the country. So he just walked along beside Bobby with his hands in his jacket pocket.

Two young women walking towards them were talking with their heads close together and giggling. Bobby noticed them looking Darien over and pausing to get a better look before he moved past them. Not that he blamed them for getting a long look, with Darien dressed in black leather jacket, form fitting grey sweater and black jeans he looked as hunky as any man in the building.

Hobbes was wearing his usual dark suit with a blue shirt and hard shoes. The only change he'd made in his wardrobe in the past few years was to get a couple of suits that were cut a little more fashionable. Since they were in Canada to work he'd only packed one set of casual clothes.

"Good afternoon Sir, your passport or identification please." The woman at the customs desk asked of Darien.

Darien showed her his current ID with the Department of Homeland Security seal in the top corner.

"You're in Ottawa on business then?" She asked.

"Yeah, but it only a conference nothing to worry about." Darien promised her.

"Of course Mr. Fawkes enjoy your stay." She handed him back his credential. 

Bobby was at the desk beside Darien getting checked through by a big guy with a scowl on his face. "Passport or identification please." He growled.

Bobby handed him his Homeland security ID, with a folded slip of paper and then placed the carry on bag he was carrying on the counter. "I have a special permit for a sidearm in this bag." Bobby began.

"Just hold on there a minute mate, I didn't ask for your bag." The officer said. He looked at Bobby's picture, then down at Bobby then back at his picture. "This doesn't look much like you, do you have another form of identification?"

Bobby remained calm, he couldn't go off on this big jerk. He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it to his California drivers license and showed it to the officer.

"Could you please remove it from the wallet." The officer was really just pushing him now.

"Sure thing." Bobby maintained his cool. He slipped his license out of the little sleeve and handed to the officer.

"Is there a problem here?" The officer's Lt. came up behind him.

"This gentlemen's photo doesn't look much like him Sir." The officer said.

"Then pull him aside and let these other people through." The Lt. said and moved off.

"If you could come with me Mr. Hobbes." The big customs officer said with a note of contempt in his voice.

Darien was watching, Bobby was being pulled to one side. He hoped his partner had taken his pills that morning or there could be a international incident about to happen. He wondered where the local guy from the legat was.

Bobby was still carrying his small bag, but they took it from him and put it up on an table and popped the latch. A female customs office looked through the bag noticed the nine millimeter. "I have a special permit for the sidearm." Bobby informed her. "The first guy took it a second ago. "

"The only thing he's given me were his ID and his license." The big guy lied.

Bobby hadn't noticed what had happened to his special permit, but he was sure he'd given to the officer.

"I'll have to see the permit Sir. Perhaps you have it in your pocket still." She was being polite, but she was ready to cuff him if it came to it.

"Maybe it's still on the counter over there, I know I handed it to him when I gave him my ID." Bobby was staying calm, and not giving anyone a reason to question his word.

By now Darien had moved off to the side of the hallway, he decided it was about time for him to go quicksilver and help his partner out. He moved to the big customs officer's side while invisible and checked his pocket for Bobby's permit. Darien knew it wasn't difficult to secret away small items like passes and licenses. He found two items in the officer's side coat pocket so he quick silvered them too and stepped back. One was Bobby's permit. The other was a ticket for speeding. Darien placed the permit on the shelf behind the counter a few seconds before the lady officer looked there for it.

"It's here, and it seems to be in order. Let me see his ID." She asked the one with the attitude. She looked at Bobby's Homeland security credential then looked at him again. "Welcome to Ottawa Mr. Hobbes. Sorry for the delay in your processing. Have a nice stay." She handed him back both of his IDS and pushed the bag back towards his side of the counter.

"Thank you, you have a good day. " Bobby accepted her apology and took his bag. He looked around for Darien who was standing back several feet from the check in area, arms crossed over his chest waiting.

"What was that all about?" Darien asked.

"I don't know. He must enjoy putting certain types through the ringer." Bobby shrugged, I'm just glad they found my permit.

"I put it back, the big guy had pocketed it." Darien told him.

Bobby stopped, turned back towards the check in area. "I'm going to break that big bastard in half." He growled, "Hold this for me." Bobby passed his bag to his partner.

Darien took the bag, but he also grabbed hold of Bobby's arm. "Don't do it."

"You think I can't take him?" Bobby glanced back at Darien. He was mad, and he was about to get madder.

"I know you can, but you can't take the ten other officers that are right there with him." Darien reminded Bobby. Darien shifted his hold on Bobby's arm to a under the arm across chest grip and moved them both off to the side of the long corridor. He hoped it looked like he was attempting to comfort a friend and not restrain him.

"He was trying to get me in trouble for carrying a sidearm into Canada with out a permit. I'm an American law enforcement agent..." Bobby protested to his partner.

"I know, but you can't take him out with all of those other customs guys around"  
Darien kept hold of Bobby' leaning in close to his partner's ear and added. "Not that I wouldn't like to see you try, but we're here to find where Arnaud went to ground. We can take care of this guy later." Darien promised.

"Just let me punch him out first." Bobby tried to pull loose from Darien's hold.

"I can't do that, come on Bobby. I'll do that thing you like when we get to the hotel." Darien tried to bribe his partner. He knew if Bobby really was determined to pull loose from his hold, he could and would. He dropped the carry on bag and wrapped his other arm around Bobby's chest. Even in a big city like Ottawa he was sure they were going to attract attention soon if he didn't calm his friend.

Bobby took a deep breath, counted to ten, noticed that Darien was using that very subtitle aftershave again, it smelled just a little musky. Having his partner wrapped around him this way was nice. If his heart wasn't already racing, it would be because Darien was surrounding him. "Okay, you can let me go, I don't think the natives are up for seeing two grown men making out in their international airport." Bobby joked, rolling his shoulder to get Darien to release him.

"Promise?" Darien loosened his hold but didn't let go just yet.

"Yeah, yeah I'm not going to jump the guy. But if you don't let go of me, I'm going to hurt you getting free." Bobby warned him. Darien heard that tone in his voice, and dropped his hold on his friend.

"Want me to take the bag?" Darien asked reaching to retrieve it from the floor near the wall.

"No, it's my stuff." Bobby took it from him. "What happened to the guy that was supposed to meet us?" He looked around for any sign of a government type in the waiting area past the check in .

"Let's go get the bags and if he hasn't shown up by then we'll call the office." Darien suggested.

Darien pointed the way to the baggage claim area, they only had to wait ten minutes for their flight to be announced and Bobby's other bag was one of the first ones off the conveyor belt. But Darien's bag didn't seem to be there at all. "Told you to bring something with you." Bobby teased him.

"Yeah, I guess you were right. I'll check the other one over here to make sure it didn't get mixed up some how." Darien searched both working baggage carousels for his bag but it wasn't to be found.

"Agent Hobbes?" A young lady walked up to Bobby while he was waiting for Darien to look for his bag.

"Yes, I'm Robert Hobbes." Bobby looked the young woman over. She was his height, with pinned up dark hair, huge green eyes and a worried expression.  
She was dressed in strict business attire with a knee length dark blue skirt white blouse and matching suit style jacket.

"Oh, good. I mean Jennifer Dyson from the local office. I was supposed to be here to meet you almost a half hour ago." She offered him her hand in welcome.

Bobby smiled, she reminded him of Eberts. "Don't worry about it, you're here now. Are we going to the office first or the hotel" Bobby asked since Darien seemed to still be searching for his missing bag.

"I thought we could drop your things off at your hotel and then meet with the case agents at two if that is agreeable?" She answered in a clipped short sentence.

Jennifer sighed in relief, when her supervisor had informed her that she was going to be allowed to work part time in the field on this case. She'd been thrilled, she'd researched Agent Hobbes as soon as she learned he would be the agent from outside her agency working with them. She was assigned to be the liaison with him. She was a fully trained field agent but so far she'd only been to crime scenes after the fact. She'd worked a few times with the surveillance crews, she knew what to do. But she was still fresh from training.  
She'd only been a field opp for less than two years. Agent Hobbes was a more attractive man in person than his photo. He looked very solid and trim.  
A man she could learn from.

"Yeah, that sounds good. My partner is looking for his bag. I think it might have missed our flight." Bobby nodded towards Darien.

"Partner? I wasn't told you were bringing a second agent with you." Jennifer looked across the large baggage area. But Darien was milling about with at least a dozen other people.

"He was kind of a last minute addition to the team. He just finished up another case, he was on loan to another agency." Bobby fibbed.

"I believe there is only one room reserved for you at the hotel." Jennifer said, "But I'm sure we can change it to two." She pulled out her cell phone and started to dial

"That's okay, we prefer to share a room, it cuts down on the security measures we have to take." Bobby told her. "So long as there are two beds." He added.

"Yes of course." She suspected it was more of a budget problem than anything she knew things were tight at home.

"I can't find it anywhere, we'll have to go to the claim office." Darien walked back over to where they were standing. "Hello, I'm Darien." He offered Jennifer his hand.

"Jennifer Dyson, my partner Darien Fawkes. Fawkes this is Jennifer the guy we were looking for up stairs." Bobby grinned.

"Nice to meet you Agent Fawkes, I'm sorry to hear your bag is missing.  
The claim office is just over here." She shook Darien's hand but she didn't act or look like she was as smitten with him as most females her age were.

Jennifer lead the way to the claim office. Bobby picked up his second bag and walked beside Darien. "She reminds me of Eberts." Bobby said so only Darien could hear him.

"Eberts, no she's cuter than Ebes, I like that prim and proper pinned up hair thing, it reminds me of the first time I met Claire." Darien teased Bobby.

"Claire has blue eyes." Bobby stated.

"I know she does." Darien followed Miss Dyson into the claim office and Bobby waited outside. It looked crowded enough in there, and Darien could fill out a form on his own.

Miss Dyson joined him a few minutes later. "It should just be a few more minutes. A few people were ahead of us." She told Bobby.

"We have time." He nodded.

"Can I get you something while we are waiting? A soda or maybe coffee?" Jennifer asked, her mother had drilled into her how you treated visitors and she always fell back on her early training when she wasn't sure if there was a agency rule to follow.

"I'm fine but thanks for asking." Bobby smiled. She was so eager to please just like Eberts had been in the old days.

"Have you and Agent Fawkes been partners long?" She asked next.

"A little over three years. He transferred in from a small government agency that has a very low profile." Bobby explained.

Jennifer was studying his profile, his picture in the file she'd read really didn't do him justice. There was something about Agent Hobbes that made her feel like she just wanted to talk to him for hours. There was only one other man she'd ever met that made her feel this way. But he was so rarely in the city that she'd given up hope of seeing him again before she was rotated back to the states.

"Have you been serving in Ottawa long?" He asked.

"Not long just under two years. But I like it here, aside from the cold winters it's very beautiful." She told him.

"I don't miss the cold weather, I've been in California for so long, that I'd probably freeze if it was winter." Bobby chuckled.

Jennifer smiled at his small joke. She liked his laugh, it was deep and soft. If she wasn't careful she was going to have the worst crush on him before much longer. "You're not from California originally then?" She asked to keep him talking.

"New York, Brooklyn actually. but it's been years since I lived there." He told her. What about you, where did you live before you joined the agency?"

"You'll laugh if I tell you." She avoided his question.

"Okay, let's get out of here. I'm hungry." Darien joined them then, he'd pulled off his coat and the sweater he wore was pushed up at the sleeves.  
His very well muscled chest was revealed by the close fitting cotton.

Jennifer blinked, stared then regained her composer. Good grief, how had she not noticed that little detail about Darien before. She'd noticed he was very tall, lean and handsome. But she'd missed the fantastic build. She was beginning to wish they'd sent one of the other low level people at the legat to be the liaison. How was she ever going to keep her mind on her job with two compelling men in the same space.

She drove them to the hotel that was arranged for them by the local consulet.  
Darien had grabbed a hot dog on his way thru the terminal, but he wanted to have a meal sometime soon.

"I'll wait down here, there is a place to get a late lunch next door." She suggested.

"Great, I'll be back in five minutes." Darien grabbed Bobby's other bag as he signed for the room.

"It might take me a little longer, is it right next door?" Bobby asked, he'd want to check the room over and freshen up a little.

"Yes, we can get a table and meet you there." She suggested.

"That would be fine. I'll see you soon." Bobby thanked her. He knew Darien would be half way through his meal before he arrived.

"This is a nice room." Darien called to him as he entered the room.

"Yeah, for once we don't have to make do with crap." Bobby put his bag in the closet area and pulled off his jacket. He hung it up and loosened his shirt from his pants. He felt like he'd been wearing the shirt for three days.  
He wanted to put on a fresh one.

"Want me to get you a sandwich?" Darien asked.

"Yeah get me a club or turkey or something, you know what I eat." Bobby pulled his shirt off as Darien was leaving.

"Okay, don't take forever." Darien called then the door banged closed.

Jennifer paced the lobby while she waited for Agent Fawkes to return. Damn if he wasn't one of most well put together men she'd ever seen up close. Even the guys in her class at the academy couldn't match him for great build and looks. He seemed to be one of those guys that knew he was good looking and used it to his advantage. But she could deal with that, he seemed nice so far. Then there was Robert Hobbes, he wasn't a big man, but he sure made an impression. She'd read about men that were supposed to have presence. She'd never met one in real life. Until now.

"Hey, there you are, lead the way. I'm starved." Darien told her. He was carrying his jacket, but he was still wearing the tight gray sweater that revealed his well muscled arms and trim waist.

"Do you like Italian food?" Jennifer asked.

"Sure doesn't everyone?" Darien grinned.

"They have great calzon here. At least as far as I've ever tasted." Jennifer told him.

"Oh really, I'll have to give them a try then." Darien wasn't that picky of a eater his Aunt had a few things she cooked that were really good, but not everything she fixed was great eating.

By the time Bobby joined them at the table Darien was on his second plateful of food.

"I got you what you asked for, but you should really try this ravioli." Darien said between mouthfuls.

Bobby was still wearing his blue pin stripe suit, but he now had on a white shirt and tie. One of them had to look like professional when they went to the local office.

"Thank you, maybe later." Bobby took his seat, sipped his ginger ale and slowly ate half of his turkey sandwich with a pickle and potato salad.

"Agent Fawkes seems to like the food here." Jennifer stated once she was done eating. She was amazed at the amount of food Darien was eating.

"He loves to eat." Bobby just shook his head. He was used to the spectacle Darien sometimes made when he was eating good food.

"I told you to call me Darien. We are all agents of one sort or another." Darien swallowed and paused in his rush to get full.

"I'll try to remember." She replied.

"You haven't eaten much, is the food alright?" she noticed Bobby's mostly uneaten plate of food.

"Yeah, the food's great. But traveling puts me off eating for a few days." Bobby explained.

"Attache Lawrence may I introduce you to Agents Robert Hobbes and Darien Fawkes." Jennifer made the introductions and then stepped back to the side.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Ottawa. Please have a seat and we'll get this briefing under way." The top man at the office shook each of their hands and waved them to seats.

"Henry if you will begin." He nodded to the agent heading up the case.

The room light dimmed and a picture of a middle aged man appeared on the video monitor at the head of the room. "This is who we believe is the leader of a terrorist cell based in a local suburb. He heads up a group of at least twelve men, but they could also be working with several other small cells in Canada. He goes by the name Samer Parvizi but that is only one of several names we believe he has used over the yeas."

"I though you said Arnaud was part of this?" Darien whispered to his partner.

"He will be just wait." Bobby indicated the monitor.

"This is the satellite view of the building rented by a business that Parvizi shares ownership with but as far as we can tell has never set foot on Canadian soil, or American soil either for that matter. A cell is suspected of planning a disruption or attack in a north American city soon. Ottawa might be one of the cities. Our surveillance of these men"  
Several pictures now came up on the screen. "Three of which are not middle eastern nationals, two are citizens of Canada, and one is listed as a native of Switzerland with a valid visa to be working in research in the US."

"Arnaud." Darien hissed.

"This one, Arnaud DeFone was last seen working at a laboratory facility they have set up in Gatineau. There is a large french speaking population in our province and this Defone has hired several french speaking natives to assist him with developing some kind of substance that uses many chemicals that we like to keep a watch on who is using them and for what."

The briefing continued but Darien didn't pay much attention after that. He was more concerned with getting his hands on his most hated enemy.

"So in the next few days we expect to make a raid on these locations all simultaneously that is why we asked for some extra help."

Once they were out in the hall Bobby had to rein hin his partner. "Take it easy if their plan works out we should have Arnuad in custody very soon." Bobby promised.

"But if we know where he is now I say we go and get him now." Darien protested. He still couldn't believe he hadn't just killed the man the last time he had the chance.

"We don't know where he is. But I think we might be able to find out if we sweet talk Jennifer." Bobby nodded towards the young woman.

"You sweet talk her." Darien glared at his partner.

"Me you're the one making her eyes pop out of her head. I think you'd have a much better chance of getting her to find out for you." Bobby suggested.

"Are you saying I'm being obvious?" Darien asked.

"The only way you could be advertizing more would be to wear leather pants and a vest no shirt. But that might get a few eye brows raised." Bobby chuckled.

"Fine if you want me to waste a night trying to get information out of a woman that is clearly more into the mature type, I'll give it a try. " Darien felt his SSO training was being challenged.

When Darien and Jennifer went out later that evening Hobbes went back to the federal building and logged onto the computer. He sent Eberts all the details he could without compromising the mission and expected he'd be able to learn the location of Arnaud by the following day.

Darien worked his charms on Jennifer and she appeared to be enjoying their evening together. But she'd been to the same type of training he'd been to so she was prepared to meet all of his advances with polite but firm refusals.  
They shared a few innocent kisses, that lacked any passion. She found him very attractive but, great build and all he just wasn't her taste in men. If Agent Hobbes had been the one she had to resist she wasn't sure she could follow through. She felt sure that if he took her in his arms she'd be a goner.

When Darien returned to the room before midnight Bobby was pretty sure things hadn't gone well.

"You're home early." Bobby looked up from his place in bed. He was reading the local paper.

"Ha, ha I told you it wasn't going to work. She likes you Bobby not me." Darien informed him and threw off his leather coat. Then he peeled out of his jeans and sweater. He was down to his briefs in seconds after entering the room.

Bobby watched is partner disrobe, it wasn't the first time he'd seen Darien all but naked. "Those are still your only clothes in this city, so you better fold them for tomorrow." Bobby reminded him.

"Oh, yeah, didn't my bag turn up yet?" Darien sounded resigned to that fact.

"No, it hasn't but I located a local discount store where we can get you some clothes tomorrow if the airline doesn't deliver it in the morning." Bobby watched as Darien folded his sweater and jeans. The ripples of muscle that flirted across his partner's chest were very sexy.

Darien flopped down on the other bed and pulled the pillows out from the blankets. He propped them all under his folded arms and studied Bobby. "You still reading?"

"Yes, I'm almost done. The remote is on the night stand." Bobby knew Darien spent more time reading than he did, but when he read it really seemed to bother Darien. Of course he read in bed, and Darien seemed to read just about every where else but in bed.

"I don't want to watch anything." Darien continued to study his partner.

Bobby went back to the article he'd been reading.

"Did you get enough to eat at dinner?" Darien asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bobby answered without looking up.

"They have good food in this town. I'm still full." Darien sighed and shifted his weight to his hip more. Laying on his stomach staring at Bobby wasn't a good idea on a full stomach.

"I'm glad you aren't still hungry. I like Jennifer." Bobby said. "I wouldn't want to hurt her."

"You don't have to hurt her, you just have to show her a good time and get the information we need." Darien told him.

"You said you think she likes me, if I made that kind of a move on her it would only hurt her later." Bobby stated.

"But it's what you just sent me out to do?" Darien protested.

"I sent you out to give her a nice time. I didn't think she liked you, just that she was attracted to your bod." Bobby told him.

"Oh, so there's a difference?" Darien moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, there is a difference. She doesn't expect more than good sex from you because you're a player, or so she believes. But if she has a crush on me, it could disappoint her if I were to be with her and then just leave."

"You been reading my Physicology Today again?" Darien asked.

"No, I've been around the block a few times and I've seen a woman with a crush before. I don't see that with Jennifer, but you said it more than once.  
What makes you think so, did she confess this evening after turning you down"  
Bobby teased.

"It's the way she looks at you. There is something there, it might not be a full blown crush yet, but it could be real soon." Darien arched his back and stretched. Bobby admired the hard beautifully sculpted muscles of Darien's chest and arms. His belly might be full but his abdomen was flat and tight. "If you aren't going to stop reading soon I'm going to go to sleep."

Bobby knew that was an idle threat, he'd never go to sleep if there was any chance of...

"You didn't brush your teeth yet." Bobby pointed out.

"Oh, you're right." Darien stood and sauntered into the bathroom.

Bobby pulled off his reading glasses, put aside the paper and turned out his light. There was just a soft glow from the lamp on the far wall.

Darien joined him on the bed a few seconds later. "You're not going to sleep yet are you?" Darien slipped under the blankets behind Bobby and placed a kiss on the back of his neck. He smoothed a hand over Bobby's ribs and across his chest in a repeat of the hold he'd had to use at the airport. Bobby's always hot flesh felt more tense than usual. Darien stroked the center of his partner's chest for a few minutes it sometimes helped him to relax. Of course it had the opposite effect on Darien, being this close he was becoming aroused.

"That's nice." Bobby sighed. He enjoyed this part of their day. Almost more than he did what was about to come. But he understood Darien's needs almost better than Darien did himself. Sex was a release, but it was also the only way Darien felt close to the people he carried about. Kevin was probably the only man he'd ever loved that he wasn't intimate with. Parents and uncles not counted of course. Darien only gave his trust to those he loved deeply. Bobby had figured that out very early in their partnership. Taking the final step with him had just been a risk. Bobby's heart was already so damaged he wasn't sure he could keep it separate from this partner's needs. He would allow Darien to care for him, but his plan had been to keep his emotions out of their relationship. He'd managed it once before when he'd been on assignment in Russian early in his career. He'd thought he could manage it again. He'd been wrong. Darien's passion broke through all of the walls he'd built up over the years. He couldn't help but fall in love with the man. He was a show off sometimes but once he had Bobby's affections he settled down and his eyes didn't wander. Once they were really a couple, Darien was true and devoted. Bobby never doubted that Darien loved him. It was the kind of relationship he'd need for a long, long time.

"God Bobby do you feel this?" I really need a favor here." Darien said, like he always did, pretending he had to beg for what he wanted. He rubbed his large erection against Bobby's ass, letting him feel just how aroused he was.

"What do you want tonight?" Bobby asked noticing that he to was aroused.  
It had happened slowly while he was enjoying the chest massage.

"Switch positions with me." Darien said and Bobby knew what his partner wanted, he wanted a nice long slow fuck.

Darien rolled onto his side and Bobby moved in close behind him. He lifted Darien's top leg a little and tested his readiness. Darien was loose enough that they wouldn't need help. Bobby grasped his hard shaft and pushed the tip in past the outer ring of muscle. Darien pushed back into him and groaned.  
"Oh, yeah that's it, just like that, nice and slow." Darien praised.

Bobby reached around to fondle Darien's throbbing organ as he moved in and out in a slow steady pace. Giving Darien the most drawn out joining they had ever shared. Darien came in a powerful eruption more than ten minutes after he'd started. Bobby kept backing off when he felt the pressure building in his partner's shaft. Until finally he allowed him to finish.

"Oh God Bobby, you're so good to me." Darien panted afterwards. "That was so great, and you're not done yet." Darien felt that long hard heat of Bobby's organ still buried inside him. "You have to finish this time." Darien move to lay on his stomach, his erection flaccid for the moment, it wouldn't be uncomfortable.

"I don't think I'm going to tonight." Bobby worked himself over Darien for a minute, but it wasn't helping him to get past the wanting. He suspected his meds were keeping him from a complete performance. But it made Darien crazy when he didn't finish. Like he wasn't turned on enough or something.  
"It's my meds you know that." Bobby was about to stop trying.

"Come on Bobby, I can feel how much you need it. Want me to help?" Darien knew there were a few tricks he could use to assist Bobby into a climax. But Bobby was unwilling attempt those things.

"Come on man, show me who's the big stud around here. Ride me hard use all of that big hard dick to make me beg for more." Darien tried the other tack that sometimes helped Bobby to finish. Trash taking in the right way got him fired up, and sometimes he could complete.

"Um," Bobby felt his body responding to Darien's tone of voice. He didn't under stand why this worked, because sometimes it didn't help at all. He braced his hands on Darien's waist and pulled back until nearly his entire length was visible then he rammed back with more force than usual. Darien grunted and pushed back for more. "Yeah, Stud, I can feel how big and hard you are, let me feel it all"  
Darien continued, he didn't care what he had to say to get Bobby off he just wanted him to come. Bobby rammed back into him again, it did feel good, he was probably going to come himself again before Bobby did.

Bobby worked for a few another minute listening to Darien's false praise and it helped him to get to the point of release. It was a finish and he was relieved but it hadn't been very satisfying.

Darien sighed and rested his head on Bobby's chest. He hated that the medications that helped Bobby keep his sanity, kept him from enjoying this part of their life together at least half of the time.

"Don't worry about it, I've accepted it, why can't you?" Bobby stroked Darien's hair with one hand and closed his eyes.

Chapter Two

Bobby woke up early as he always did. He couldn't seem to sleep for more than five hours in a row no matter what he did to relax. Even with Darien beside him he rarely slept for the entire night. Bobby was the rock that other people relied on. At least he was during working hours. His private life was more complicated. Darien leaned on him when things got rough,  
but he occasionally leaned on his partner. It was a equal relationship and Bobby still wondered at his good fortune that some one as good as Darien was now his best friend, lover and partner. 

Bobby slipped out of bed leaving Darien to sleep for at least an another hour.  
He moved into the other portion of their large room and pushed the small coffee table to the side, he began to do his usual practice of the Ha Ke To form. Regular practice kept you limber, and regular visits to the do jo kept you in shape to fight. Once he was done he took a hot shower and got dressed then he left Darien sleeping and went in search of coffee.

Darien woke up alone in the big hotel big. He stretched, looked for Bobby then noticed it was just past six-thirty. Bobby would be somewhere getting coffee by this late in the morning. Darien stretched again and climbed out of bed. He took his usual long hot shower, tried to do something with his hair, but since his bag hadn't arrived he had to just fluff it with his fingers and hope it dried quick. His hair was shorter now, but he still liked to use gel to get it in the style he like.

"Hey, partner you ready to eat?" Bobby came back to the room. He'd even stopped by the local drug store and bought Darien some of his so important hair goop.

"Yeah, give me a minute." Darien called from the bathroom.

"Here you might need this." Bobby tossed the tube of hair stuff on to the bathroom counter for his friend.

"Hey man thanks. I'll be ready in a second." Darien quickly gelled his still damp hair and was ready to go. He walked out of the bathroom found Bobby checking his cell phone for a charge and hugged him gently from behind. Wrapping his long arms around his partner and dipping his head so that his jaw was next to Bobby's. "Thanks for the gel." Darien held the hug for several seconds. He knew it would be his last show of affection for his partner until much later that day.  
"You're welcome, but you don't need all that stuff in your hair." Bobby welcomed the contact. "I don't need it, but I like to use it anyway." Darien gave Bobby a little tighter squeeze before he released him from the hug.

"The hotel hasn't received your bag during the night and I called the airline.  
They don't even have a clue what happened to it. But they are still looking"  
Bobby informed Darien.

"Great, is there a store I can stop by today and get some clothes?" Darien asked.

"'Yeah, I was thinking I'll go to the briefing this morning and maybe Jennifer could run you over to the mall or something." Bobby suggested.

"Yeah, Okay. Have you talked with her yet?"

"No, I was waiting until after seven. Let's go get breakfast." Bobby moved towards the door.

Darien stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. "Hang on a second, look at me."

"Yeah, what?" Bobby sounded angry.

"You feelin' alright? It's still early morning and you seem tense already"  
Darien could read all of Bobby's moods, and there was something off.

"I'm fine just pissed about your bag. I was sure they would have it here by now"  
He shook his head. "Doesn't it piss you off?"

"Yeah, but not that much, I hope they find it sooner or later. I had a couple of shirts in there that I really like." Darien admitted. "You sure that's all it is?" Darien cocked his head to the side to study Bobby's expression.

"Yeah, come on lets get some food." Bobby promised.

"Jennifer Dyson?" She answered her cell phone.

"Good morning Agent Dyson." Bobby spoke in her ear.

"Good morning to you too, I was just about to park the car. I'll be there to get you guys in a few minutes."

"That's good, but I need to ask you a favor this morning."

"Yes?"

"Darien's bag still hasn't turned up, could run him to a mall or a clothing store this morning? I don't want him to have to keep wearing the same clothes the entire time we're here." Bobby asked.

"Yes, of course. But I do have to attend the briefing, I'll arrange for someone to take him to the store. See you soon."

Jennifer parked the car then dialed her phone.

"Hello?"

"Ren, great I'm glad I got you. You're off work today aren't you?"

"Yes, Jen is there a problem?"

"Yeah, I'm the liaison for the agents helping us out on a case. But one of them lost his luggage on the flight here. Could you help me out? He needs a ride to the store. I have to be at the briefing this morning or I'd take him." Jennifer explained.

"Sure I can do that. Where do you want me to meet you, or him or whichever?"

"They are staying at the Radison Hotel on Grant Street. If you could meet us here soon, I'd be so grateful."

" I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Ren hung up the phone and reached for his boots. He'd been up for hours but he'd only dressed as far as his pants and a shirt.

"Agents Fawkes and Hobbes, please meet my friend Renfield Turnbull he's going to be Darien's driver while Agent Hobbes and I attend the briefing." Jennifer introduced Ren to the two men.

"Welcome to Ottawa." Ren shook hands with first Bobby and then Darien. Jen hadn't told him that there would be compensations for helping her out.

"RCMP, nice to meet you." Bobby shook hands with the even taller than Darien Canadian. He look like a Mountie even without the red suit. Short cropped hair, square jaw, extra good posture and wide shoulders.

"Yes, Sir is it that obvious?" Renfield was a little surprised he could tell.

"Hi, how ya doing?" Darien shook hands with he also.

"Yeah, but I've worked with you guys before." Bobby nodded.

"OH, it's not your first trip to Canada?" Renfield asked.

"No, fourth time I think, but it has been a few years. Worked with a Mountie named Fraser then he was almost as tall you." He added.

"Yes, I was stationed in Chicago with him for a few years. Constable Fraser is hard to forget." Turnbull smiled at the mention of Ben.

"Ren if you could bring Darien to the office once he's done, Thank you." She touched his arm.

"Yes of course, you're welcome." He smiled at her as he motioned for Bobby to join her.

"Don't take forever there partner." Bobby teased. "Nice to meet you Turnbull,  
see you later."

"Yes, nice to meet you also." Renfield waved at the to as they walked off.

Darien was grinning, at Jennifer's little slip up. She'd told him the night before that she usually preferred older men. But either she and the Mountie were a couple or they were very close friends. "This way to my truck." Turnbull motioned to Darien.

"I appreciate this, thanks for helping out." Darien said as they walked up the street.

"You're welcome I'm glad I was off today and was available." Turnbull nodded.

"Jennifer suggested I take you to the mall, but after meeting you perhaps you'd prefer the tall men's store? I've found their selection to be very good and the prices reasonable." He asked.

"Yeah, that would be great." Darien grinned.

"Renfield you're back again so soon. Come in." The middle aged very striking man behind the counter at the front of the tall men's store greeted the Mountie like a long lost brother.

"Good Morning Philip I've brought a friend who needs a few things."

"Do come in look around, I'll be glad to help if you have questions. Most gentlemen don't want anyone to hover." He told Darien.

"Thanks, I'll just look over here." Darien already saw a shirt he'd like and in this store he wouldn't have to worry about it have long enough sleeves.

Renfield and Philip chatted for a few minutes then he went to check on Darien's progress.

"Are you finding anything you like?" Ren asked.

"Yeah, this place is great I wish I had more time, but I think I'll go with these three shirts for now and these pants." Darien turned to pick up a small stack of clothes from a display he was piling things on.

"Here I'll take them up front." Ren took the clothes from Darien then returned to assist if he could.

"I need another pair of jeans, but I'm having a hard time finding the size." Darien didn't usually find that his size was out of stock, at least not the waist size, it was the length that sometimes was a problem.

"What are we looking for 32/36?" he guessed.

"31/36 actually, but I don't think they have any in Levi" Darien kept searching.

"Here they have that size in Wrangler and they even have them in two colors"  
Turnbull pulled out two pair of jeans, "Want to try one on?"

"No, they'll fit, I haven't had that brand in ages, they aren't very common in California. Thanks." Darien figured he couldn't be that picky, at least it was his size.

Just as Philip was about to ring up the shirts Darien had picked, he lifted an eyebrow at the one with a orange stripe. He exchanged looks with Renfield.  
Ren nodded. "Darien might I suggest a more subtle style if it's for an office environment.  
There is a shirt over here in a wonderful window pain stripe that I'm sure you'd like."

"Yeah, okay." Darien liked the shirt he was holding up. "It's nice I'll take that one."

As Turnbull and Darien were walking back to his SUV, Darien asked. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Yes, go ahead." Ren had an idea he knew what was coming.

"Are you and Jennifer a couple?"

"No, we are very good friends. Did you have your eye on her?" Ren smiled.

"I like Jen but no. How long have you been in the life?" Darien asked as they climbed into the SUV.

"Off and on for six years. but I do try not to be obvious." Ren admitted. "What gave me away?"

"It wasn't your fashion sense, it was the way Jen touched you this morning.  
Either you guys are an item or she knows you so well..." Darien stated.

"Oh, it wasn't something I did for once. Some of my superiors know but I'm very good at my job, so they never have made an issue of it. It's kind of the don't ask don't tell thing your military has." Ren started the car.

"Been there." Darien nodded.

"You mean you're in the closet too?" He hadn't suspected.

"Yeah, but at least I don't have to hide it from everyone. Only a few that just wouldn't understand." Darien rolled his eyes.

"That must be nice. But I love my work, so I'm getting by." Ren pulled out of the parking spot.

"Friends like Jen help, I know I have a few like her." Darien nodded.

"Yeah, she's my best friend, I'll miss her when she transfers next year." He sighed.

"You have enough time in I'm sure don't you get to pick your next post"  
Darien asked.

"I am not due to change posts for a few years, but I could request a change"  
Turnbull nodded. He'd just been resigned to the fact that she'd be gone.

"I had thought that my spending so much time with her, might be keeping her from meeting someone." He added.

"Is she really looking yet? She just started her career, if she'd been looking to settle down somewhere would she have become an Agent?" Darien asked.

"She isn't in a hurry to start a family, she has mentioned that she wants to pursue her career until she is established." Ren smiled again.

"Are you looking to settle down?"

"No, I'll always be single, I can't take the chance. But I'm fine with how things are." He stretched the truth a little.

"It's up to you of course." Darien climbed out of the SUV in his new clothes and waited for Ren.

"You are coming up right?" Darien asked.

"I"m not officially part of the team, perhaps I'll see you later." Ren stayed in his car. 

"Thanks for the ride. See you soon." Darien bent down to make eyes contact.

"You're welcome. " Ren nodded.

Bobby was surprised when his partner arrived at the office only a few minutes after the briefing had been scheduled to start. He was even wearing his verison of business attire, dark blue slacks and a white shirt with a blue stripe in both directions.

But the briefing had been delayed, so he was really there on time.

"You look professional." Bobby grinned at his partner.

"Do you like my outfit? Philip picked it out for me." Darien did a little turn like he was on a runway or something.

"Yeah, did Renfield introduce you to his tailor?" Bobby joked.

"Yes, he kind of did, he took me to the big and tall store. They have some great stuff." Darien pulled out a desk chair and made himself comfortable.

"I spoke with Eberts, he got the info we needed." Bobby spoke more softly,  
so Jennifer wouldn't over hear him.

Darien nearly came out of his chair. "You're kidding we know were that scumbag is?" 

"Yeah, now calm down. If we make a move before the raid we could cause a lot of trouble. I thought we could check up on him and put some location devices on his car, his computer and what ever else we can find." Bobby explained.

"You want me to get with in striking distance of him again without killing him"  
Darien was keeping his voice low, but he was fired up.

"Yes, you are going to have to promise me you will, or I just won't tell you what Eberts told me." Bobby had him.

"You wouldn't do that to me Bobby." Darien gave him the sad puppy look.

"Yes, for a operation this big, I'm afraid I would. I we piss off the Fish one more time by doing what we want to, rather than what we are supposed to he might just fire me." Bobby warned. "Then were would we be?"

"Okay you're right about that, I promise to hold my temper." Darien crossed his chest with a finger like a little kid.

"Here come the Agent in charge of this case, I guess it's time for the briefing now." Bobby smoothed his jacket and moved towards the meeting room.

Darien went quick silver and moved towards the building Eberts had located the lab at that Arnaud was currently using for his evil work. It was still daylight so Bobby was posing as a computer software salesman a few doors down from their target. He'd just made an unsuccessful attempt to sell software and was now pacing and talking on his cell phone to the home office. If there was anyone watching the building, he would probably put up enough of a distraction for any actions Darien made as he snuck into the building. He put tiny tracking devices on several pieces of equipment in the lab, and even one a jacket he found laying on the desk. Arnaud was famous for laying his coat down and then forgetting it.

Darien climbed into Bobby's rental car and a few seconds later Bobby ended his cell phone call acted exasperated and climbed behind the drivers seat.

"I think we picked the wrong day, it doesn't look like anyone has been here for a couple of days." Darien told him once they were driving off, back towards the center of the city.

"It's possible he's already moved on, he never was one to hang around in one place for very long." Bobby warned.

"Yeah, I know. But if he does come back we've got a good chance of tracking his travels now." Darien crossed his fingers.

"If the big raid is going down tomorrow they must have information to make them think that most of the suspects are going to be gathered together before they hit the target. Right?" Darien asked.

"That's the idea. The intel they are working with makes them think this is the last meeting before the strike. We'll be hitting three locations at the same time. So let's hope it works." Bobby sounded a little worried.

"Did you say something about meeting Jen and Ren for dinner later"  
Darien asked.

"Yeah, she wanted to take us to one of the best places to eat in town. I didn't think you'd mind. I can cancel if you want." He added.

"No, let's go those two will be a riot away from work." Darien shook his head.

Darien and Bobby returned to the office to meet Jennifer. Just as Bobby was about to step onto the elevator he came to a abrupt halt. "I was just talking about you." He smiled and reached to shake hands with the man coming out of the elevator.

"Robert Hobbes it's so nice to see you again." Ben was smiling also, shook Bobby's hand and shook his head in wonder.

Darien was taken a back he'd almost never seen Bobby so happy to see someone. This must be the Mountie his partner had worked with once before.  
He was as tall as Darien, with broad shoulders, a strong clean cut face, firm jaw, thick dark hair, a smile that lite up his entire face and very solid build.

"Oh, Ben Fraser meet my partner Darien Fawkes, I worked with Ben five years ago on a case out of Toronto." Bobby introduced the two men.

"Very nice to meet you Darien." Ben shook his hand and looked him in the eyes like a man sure of himself.

"Hi, you're a Royal Mountie too?" Darien asked, he liked Ren better already.

"Yes, you've met a few of the other constables then, I think they Captain has called in extra officers from all over." Ben nodded.

"It's great to see you Ben, look if you aren't busy tonight we are all going to some place our liaison wants to show us. Why don't you come along?" Bobby made the invitation.

"I'd enjoy that, if I wouldn't be intruding." Ben liked the idea very much.

"Come on back up stairs with us and we'll get things settled." Bobby waved Ben back towards the waiting elevator.

"Alright, as you like." Ben allowed Bobby and Darien to proceed him into the elevator.

Jennifer was standing talking with another agent just a few feet down the hall when Ben, Bobby and Darien all got off the elevator together.

She nearly fainted. Darien noticed her reaction to the sight of the Mountie.  
In fact he noticed the effect Ben seem to have on the entire female population of the floor as they all walked towards the office he and Bobby were using.  
It was interesting not being the focus of the ladies stares. He wasn't sure he was going to like this guy.

"I have to go." Jennifer told the agent she'd been talking to, she stepped out to the ladies bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She didn't think she would ever see Ben again. She hadn't prepared herself for seeing him. She'd worked with him on and off for the first few months she was in Ottawa.  
But he'd been transferred to a new post.

Once she'd repaired her make up and forced her self to relax she went back to see if the visitors from California were ready to quite for the day.

"Jennifer how nice to see you again." Ben stood up from his place beside Robert's desk and crossed the room to envelope her in his arms. Darien watched her face, she was absolutely in heaven. Bobby was grinning, he'd noticed her reaction too.

Jennifer had managed not to faint when she saw him, but she'd never dreamed that he'd greet her with a big hug. She had to wrap her arms around his body to help her keep from becoming light headed. Oh, man did that feel good. Any chance she'd had a maintaining her composure was totally gone.

"Ben it's nice to see you too." She managed to mumble.

"Maybe you'd better help her." Bobby wanted to laugh because Ben had no idea he was effecting her so strongly.

"Me, he's your buddy." Darien frowned.

Just then Ben released his arms from around her, then noticed she was a little unsteady. He raised an eyebrow at her lose of balance and helped her to the chair he'd just vacated. "There I must have caught you off guard."

"That's for sure." Darien mumbled.

"It looks like we will all be working this case together." Ben stood back and took in all of the other people in the room.

"I invited Ben to go to that great place you wanted to take us for dinner"  
Bobby told Jennifer.

"Yes, of course he should join us if you are old friends." Jen nodded. She was still over whelmed from his hug. Darien knelt down beside her chair and whispered. " Now I know which mature men it is that you go for."

Bobby and Ben were talking about a terrible place they had eaten once and that had gotten Bobby started telling his story about how hard it was to find a good place to get his favorite dish. Darien had heard it a dozen or more times.

"Look you better pull yourself together, didn't you learn anything in Seduction class, you have to keep your mind clear." Darien was trying to help her now.

"I'm not trying to ..." She started to say.

"I know you aren't, he doesn't have a clue. Is he for real?" Darien asked.

"Yeah, he is that's half of his attraction." She took a deep breath and stood up.

"Gentlemen if you're ready we are meeting Ren at six thirty." She didn't look at Ben, she just addressed everyone in the room. 

"Oh good I haven't seen Renfield in over a year. It looks like reunion time here in Ottawa this week." Ben smiled again.

Darien just sat back and watched, they were given a table for six, so he took the far end so he could obverse the drama unfolding before him. Bobby just wanted to rehash old time with his friend. Jennifer was so star struck it was almost painful to watch and Renfield had a bad case of hero worship for the clueless Benton Fraser. He seemed to be genuinely unaware of his effect on women and even some men. Darien was puzzled that Bobby was so fond of him. But once Bobby was your friend it was for life.

When Bobby was recounting a story about their past together everyone listened but kept their attention on Ben for his reactions. Then when Ben would tell his version of the same story everyone's attention was on him even Bobby's. During one break in all the story telling Darien got his partner's attention for a minute.

"You never told me about this guy before, why not?" Darien was feeling a touch jealous.

"Who Ben, yeah I did, I told you about the Mountie I worked that smuggling case with when I was with the NSA." Bobby reminded him.

Darien nodded he had heard that story before, but he didn't remember Bobby saying so many good things about the Canadian.

Jennifer had managed to regain her senses on the drive to the restaurant.  
At least for the most part, she was still very much in awe of Ben. At one point in the evening she sat back from all the conversation and noticed that she was sitting at a table with four of the most handsome, compelling

men as it was possible to find. Anyone would fine if very difficult to match these four in looks, smarts and personality. She hoped she would be able to remember this night in as much detail as possible.

Ben noticed that Jennifer wasn't taking part of their conversation. She seemed a bit detached from the rest of the group. "Are you feeling alright Jen?" Benton turned to her during a lull in the talk.

"Yes, I'm fine." She nodded.

"We've been doing all of the talking this evening. How have you been since I saw you last?" He asked, and with Benton you knew he cared about your answer.

"As well as can be expected for a first office assignment. I've helped with background investigations and canvases on the larger cases that have been under investigation. This will be the first time I'm in on a raid." She confided in him.

"That's good, this will be good experience for you. Just keep your training in mind and you'll do well." Benton told her.

Jennifer smiled slightly, she liked hearing that he thought she'd do well. But she didn't like feeling like his pupil. There were rules about fraternization between ranks in the RCMP and he might consider her an extension of his supervision of the officers under his command. "I will. But you've only been talking about your old cases, what have you been doing recently?" She asked.

"I was working with the security detail at the Olympics, then I was posted to the Embassy in Riyadh for six months later year. Currently I'm assisting the training division with the development of a new course for the academy." Benton explained.

"Are you going to be teaching at the academy?" Renfield asked.

"I have been asked to teach, but I feel my abilities are better suited to work in the field. At least for a few more years." Ben clearly was not yet ready to take a desk job.

"Don't let them talk you into it if it's not what you want buddy." Bobby said,  
"You're to good a detective to spent all your time behind a desk."

"Thank you Robert, I'm hoping to stay assigned to the field for the foreseeable future." Benton added.

The party broke up finally and Renfield offered to drive Benton to his hotel.  
Jennifer was still responsible for Darien and Bobby. She was distracted on the drive back to the hotel. So much so that Darien took a liberty he wouldn't usually have tried with someone else around. After Renfield and Benton had left in his truck, they were waiting for her car to be brought around to the front of the restaurant. Jennifer was standing closest to the car hop stand, with the two men behind her. Darien leaned in close to Bobby and placed his hand on his partners back. Then he whispered in his ear, " I can't wait to get back to the room."

"Fawkes." Bobby said softly, but with a warning note in his voice.

"She's not paying attention, but I'll be wanting all of yours, as soon as we get to the hotel." Darien continued with his rather broad hint.

"Fine, now stop." Bobby took a big step away from his partner. Darien knew he hated it when Darien broke the rules about any show of affection in public.

Their car arrived a second later and Darien took the front seat. Bobby was glad, for a minute he was worried his partner was going to attempt to continue the scene he'd started.

"I"ll pick you up at seven-thirty tomorrow." Jennifer reminded them as she pulled up to the hotel a few minutes later.

"Great, thanks for the great dinner. See you in the morning." Bobby said as he climbed out of the car.

"Yeah, thanks Jen, you have a good nights sleep now. See you later." Darien grinned and closed his door.

"What was that all about?" Bobby asked once they were alone in the elevator.

"What?" Darien pretended innocence.

"You getting all cozy and whispering in my ear just now." Bobby glared at him.

"That display you put on all night, Benton this and Benny that, I was ready to throw my glass of water on you to cool you down." Darien complained.

"You're jealous." Bobby accused as the elevator door slid open on their floor.

"I'm not jealous, I don't have anything to be jealous of, Ben's not interested in you, if he was I'd kill him. No, he's to clueless to realize when he's the object of anyone's affections. How can a intelligent guy like him be so oblivious to the emotions of people around him?" Darien asked as Bobby unlocked their door.

"I never saw it this bad before. Maybe it happens so often that he just pretends he is clueless so he doesn't have to keep hurting people's feelings." Bobby suggested. He did a quick check of the room then unholstered his side arm and stowed it on the night stand.

"I don't want to talk about him," Darien said as he closed in on his partner trapped him against the furniture and planted a deep, passion filled kiss on his mouth. 

Bobby responded, with the same amount of passion and they were soon half naked on the bed, exchanging kisses, as they undressed each other in turns. Bobby was attempting to free Darien's straining erection from his slacks after Darien had pushed his pants off a moment before. "You want this fast and hard don't you?" Bobby asked between kisses.

"You know I do, you need to prove to me, you aren't attracted to him." Darien was jealous, he didn't like sharing his partner.

"Then help me get these off." Bobby was still fumbling with Darien's new slacks and the next to impossible zipper.

Darien pushed Bobby's hands out of the way and released the stubborn fly he ground his erection against Bobby's crotch, and groaned. "Come on Hobbesy, show me what you got."

Bobby moved over his partner, into his favorite position, and pushed into the hot opening waiting for him. Darien moaned, rubbed his hands up and down Bobby's ribs and urged him on. "Yeah, that's what I've been wanting."

"You like that do ya?" Bobby teased, as he worked to give Darien a good hard, fast session. He set the pace quickly, thrusting deep. Darien responded with praise, and then with his climax only a minute after he'd started.

"Yeah, man that's it." Darien groaned again. His hands on Bobby's sides clenched as he climaxed. His eyes closed, his head thrown back. Bobby paused as the pleasure swept over his lover. The way he was feeling it was going to take a lot more for him to reach that place.

Darien stopped panting long enough to notice Bobby was still. He opened his eyes to see Bobby's dark gaze on his face. "Keep going, you have to finish." Darien whispered. He slipped a hand to the small of Bobby's back and urged him to start thrusting again.

"It's no use," Bobby said even as he did return to the in, out, in, out rhythm of their joining.

"Don't give up yet Bobby, you just got started, I'm just to quick, you know I am. " Darien continued to urge him on.

Bobby concentrated his efforts on his own finish. He usually just worried about his partner. He accepted that his medications forestalled his climax more often than it allowed it. He was just glad he could still become aroused at all. Some people couldn't preform when they took the meds he was on.

"Oh, yeah that's it, keep it coming stud. Feels really solid tonight, want me to flip over so you can use it all?" Darien liked it best from behind, claimed it hit him just perfect for more contact with his g-spot.

"No. Stay there." Bobby groaned he was feeling the build up that signaled that he just might be about to finish. Darien urged him on, slipping a hand to the base of his swollen shaft and stoking the spot just behind it, with a finger tip. Bobby stiffened, thrust extra hard and exploded. "Damn, it don't." Bobby hissed just before he came.

Darien gathered him close afterwards and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Why do you object to me helping you like that?'

"I'm not some old geezer that needs his mistress to stimulate him so he can finish. It's the medication, I'd rather not come than have you trick me into it." Bobby complained.

"As long as you finish why does it matter?" Darien turned on his side and studied his lover.

"I just told you." Bobby sighed. Fawkes just didn't understand, it was a matter of principle, like taking a pill to get you up, he wouldn't do it. Either he was hot for his partner or he wasn't. Bobby had enough Italian heritage in him that he'd never had trouble becoming aroused. And he still didn't, sometimes he had to keep himself from getting hard, even at his age. When he and Darien had first gotten together, it had been a wild few weeks. Darien wanted it all the time, and Bobby was turned on enough to give it to him when ever they could sneak it in. They'd gone four times in one day, he'd been proud of himself that day, and Darien had gotten spoiled. So now if it happened it happened, but if he didn't finish, he didn't. Darien just needed to accept it.

"I'm sorry, I won't cheat again if it bothers you this much." Darien tried to apologize. "Want me to rub your chest a little?"

"It's okay." He sighed, "Do you mind, I don't know why it helps me to relax.  
You'd think the sex would."

"Yeah, usually it's a back massage that gets people relaxed, and attention to your front, almost any part of your front gets you excited." Darien smoothed one hand in a circle across Bobby's hard chest. Slow and gentle, he could hear the change in his partners breathing already.

"Umm, thanks." Bobby closed his eyes and enjoyed.

The following morning it was Darien's turn to moan in pleasure. He woke up with a powerful painful erection. That he pushed into his partner's firm ass. He knew that mounting Bobby wasn't a choice, they had never changed positions so that he was the one doing the thrusting. He didn't need to be the top, so he never challenged the way things were. But he needed to finish. He knew Bobby had to be awake. So he wasn't sure why he was being allowed this liberty. In the past the moment he got to involved thrusting against his partner, he would find himself pressed back in to the bed and either mounted or fisted. "I'm so horny man, really need to work one out." Darien mumbled. He kept dry humping against Bobby's firm ass, his organ surging even larger as he pumped it against the hard muscles of his partner's butt. Darien grunted as his cock swelled, he was close to coming, he just needed a little more contact. He slipped a hand to his throbbing shaft and pumped it a few times.  
"Oh, man just a little more." He moved higher above Bobby and rubbed his hard on down between the firm cheeks. If Bobby was going to protest he'd do it now. Darien rode against him, his aching cock eager to finish. He rocked down slowly, pushing for the most contact and then he exploded.

"Feel better now?" Bobby's voice asked, as the fog of pleasure washed over Darien.

"You let me?"

"Yeah, I don't have time to go through all that crap we did yesterday." Bobby informed him.

"I owe you one." Darien placed a kiss on the back of Bobby's neck.

"You don't owe me anything, just don't pull any more of those moves while we're here and I'll be happy." Bobby told him.

Chapter Three

All of the law enforcement personnel that had been called in for the big raid on the suspected terrorist cell gathered for a final briefing an hour before the scheduled event. They were in a empty airplane hanger at a small airport outside the city, it was only ten miles or so from one of the targets.

"Alright everyone listen up, you know your assignments if you have any questions now it the time to ask them. You Lt. will give you the official command to go in, if for some reason this is called off at the last minute the code word for that is abort, as usual." The head officer from the local RCMP unit was giving the briefing.

Benton and Renfield were part of group two, the same as Jennifer and the two other agents from the Legat and Darien and Hobbes. The Mounties were not dressed in their usual red surge uniforms, they were wearing a dark brown tunic with black pants, no stripe. During the raid they were also leaving behind their usual large profile hat. Jennifer was wear slacks herself for the first time since they'd met her. She was covering a back exit with Renfield and one of the agents who was local. Bobby and Darien were going in with the first batch of people. They were doing a roof entry along with Fraser and Agent Henry."

"Good hunting," Bobby told the three officers in his group that were covering the back entrance.

"Yeah, you keep your head down." Jennifer responded.

"Keep an eye on her." Darien told Ren more quietly. She was the newest member of their group and he was concerned for her safety.

The raid went off almost as planned. The flash bangs fired into the large room did their job, and caught eight men off guard with the initial entry. Bobby, Agent Henry and Darien all dropped quickly into place and grabbed three men before they knew what hit them. One tried to shoot just as Henry was landing and Bobby had to take him out. The other agents and officers rushed into the building and cornered three more that tried to use the front exit. But once the smoke had cleared the head count was off. Two men were hiding in the building.  
A quick survey of the men captured suggested at least one of them was a top officer for the terrorist group. 

"Carefully search the building." The order was given. "What do you think? Where would you hide?" Bobby asked Darien as a former theft and excellent escape artist. We came down into the room maybe they went out the same way. Darien nodded towards a slightly out of place hatch in the roof of the storeroom. "Sir, can you contact the air cover?" Bobby knew a chopper was on stand by but it wouldn't be on site until it was needed.

"You have something?"

"We believe they went out that hatch." Bobby indicated the small door in the ceiling.

"Chopper two do you read me?"

"Load and clear."

"Are you at location two?"

"One minute out."

"Good do a check of the roof, we suspect one or more tangos are hiding there." The man in charge of their group requested.

Darien meanwhile had gone quicksilver and slipped up the ladder, if they couldn't see him coming they couldn't jump him when he poked his head out.

He saw the chopper doing a slow pass over the roof, be he didn't see any sign of men hiding. There were only a few objects on the roof that might be used as cover. He walked towards the water cooling unit at the far left. The chopper was checking the other side, where a ladder was attached.

"We have a tango."

"Group three cover the north side of the building, we have a tango." The boss gave the order. Renfield and Jennifer rushed to the location. A man was clinging to the ladder, fifteen feet from the ground.

"Hold it right there." Ren and Jen both yelled at the same time.

Darien was just turning the corner of the cooling unit, a man was crouched down in the dark shadow making himself as small as possible. If a through search wasn't conducted he might not be noticed. But Darien saw him. He also saw that he was wearing a vest, with lots of pockets.

Darien back stepped quickly and quietly radioed Bobby. "We have a man on the roof and he's wearing a Vest." Darien informed him, "Have the others go slow the other one could be just waiting for them to get close."

"Sir, my partner has located a tango, he's advising me to have the other men go slow his man is wearing a exploding vest." Bobby grabbed the attention of the head officer.

"Group three, tango may be wearing a Vest, back off until assistance arrives."

Renfield was motioning to the man to come down from his perch.

"Ren no, back off, they said he might be carrying explosives." Jennifer yelled.

Just as she yelled at him to stop the man on the ladder set off his vest. He dissolved in explosion, that put a hole in the wall he was clinging to,  
broke several rungs on the iron ladder and knocked Renfield off his feet. The chopper made a hurried pull up, and swept off to the north out of the blast zone.

"Renfield!" Jennifer screamed, she rushed to his side on the ground expecting to see him injured or worse.

"I'm not hurt." Renfield tried to assure her, but it came out as a cough. He'd had all the air knocked out of him when the blast knocked him down. He had some blood on his face, from pieces of brick and debris.

Jennifer saw that his eyes were open, his clothes weren't damaged. "Ren were are you hurt?" she was searching his body for any signs of injury. Her hands were poking and stroking over his chest his legs,  
If he'd been straight he might have been aroused by her interest.

"I'm fine." He managed the second time he tried to speak.

"Do we have a man down?" Came the question over her radio.

"Yes, but he's not seriously hurt." She radioed back.

"Darien, don't approach this guy." Bobby had a bad feeling about this whole situation.

"I'm not, I'm just keeping an eye on him." Darien was all the way back beside the hatch.

They sent the agent with the language skills up with a bomb guy to talk the guy down. He was more scared then anything, and once they talked him out of his vest they found it wasn't fully armed.

Jennifer made Ren stay on the ground until the EMT people checked him over.

"Really I'm fine." He kept protesting. The EMT lady put a small bandage on the one cut on his forehead and said he was fine to return to duty.

"Don't do that to me again." Jen warned him as he stood and brushed off his uniform.

"It looks like the guy on the ladder was one of the leaders." Bobby informed them all on the ride back to the city. They two other raids had gone well, only one other terrorist had been injured and none killed. One officer was slightly hurt subduing a tango, who resisted being cuffed.

"Were all of the suspects arab nationals?" Darien asked.

"There were several from Syria and one local. But Arnaud seems to have slipped away before the raids went down." Bobby sighed. 

"What about our tracking devices?" Darien asked.

"Tracking devices? What are you to talking about?" Jennifer was only half listening to their conversation.

"Fawkes and I are part of this case because a man we have been looking for off and on for three years was suspected of being involved with this group. But it looks like he wasn't picked up in any of the raids. But when we arrived we did a little investigation of our own and placed several tracking dots in place, just in case." Bobby quickly explained.

"I can check and see if any of them have moved." Bobby pulled his ready bag out and flipped on the transceiver he'd brought along. It looks like we have a moving target." Bobby pulled out a map and correlated it to the location of the bug Darien had planted. 

"You mean we might still have a chance of catching Arnaud?" Darien was suddenly full of energy again.

"Maybe, that depends on who is the person driving this truck." Bobby shrugged, "How far is Smith Falls from here?" 

"Two hundred miles, why is that where you think he's gone?" Jennifer asked. She pulled off the road and parked the car. If she took off after this man with them and it wasn't the man they were hunting, she could get in a lot of trouble with her superiors.

"I can help you track him." Renfield offered.

"We can't just go after this guy with out getting approval from someone." Jennifer pointed out.

"We can, our boss sent us up her to find this guy." Darien said. He was ready to go now.

"How's your French?" Jennifer asked, she could get by if she had a few minutes to think her phrasing through.

"She's right, he's probably going towards Quebec." Bobby admitted.

"I can request permission to assist you." Renfield said again. "I speak fluent French."

"There Renfield can go with us." Darien waved in the big Mountie's direction.

"Jennifer I don't want to get you in trouble but if you take time to run this through channels we'll lose him." Bobby told her.

"I have to go with you, you don't have legal authority to arrest someone on Canadian soil." She informed him.

"No, but Turnbull does." Darien added.

"He hasn't gotten permission to go yet either." She reminded them.

"I can put a call into my superior officer right now." Turnbull pulled out a cell phone and dialed. "Sir, yes may a speak to the Captain on a urgent matter"  
"It'll just be a minute. Sir, Constable Turnbull, yes the raid went very well, No Sir, I'm not injured. I'll like to make a formal request to assist two Federal Agents with a case involving one of the suspected terrorists. No Sir, Yes, Sir.  
Thank you Sir." Turnbull closed his phone. "He said I can help you but to check in with him every day."

"Wow, that was fast, are you on good terms with your captain?" Darien asked.  
"No, it's rather more of the opposite, he'd just as soon have me out of the city"  
Turnbull admitted.

"Oh, sorry." Darien apologized.

"Look we are going to have to rent a vehicle and pick up our stuff from the hotel. Jen you take Darien to the hotel and drop me at the rental place on Ocean Ave. it's on the way back to the office." Bobby had already made use of their services when they had planted the bugs.

"If you'll drop me at the corner when we reach Union Street I can meet you both at the hotel in a half an hour." Turnbull assured them.

"I still think I should come with you." Jennifer pulled the car back onto the highway.

After she dropped Darien off at the hotel she raced back to her office and found the ASA, she knew he might allow her to go with Hobbes, because he had once worked with Bobby too.

"Jim look, you're the one that said I was ready for field work. Are you telling me I'm not now?" She asked.

"I didn't say you weren't ready. you handled yourself very well today. I believe he's even going to tell you so face to face later. But I don't see why you feel you need to go with Hobbes and his partner across country after some suspect." He informed her.

"Because it will be good experience. Because they need help." She told him.

"Then why isn't he here with you asking for your assistance?" The ASA asked.

"Because he thinks it will take to long. He wants to leave for Quebec with in the hour." She urged him to give her permission.

"He's probably right it the old day it would have. But that's why they sent more agents back into the field so their would be someone to make quick decisions.  
Alright you can go, but keep in touch and keep your head down." He finally agreed.

"Yes, thank you and I will Sir." She made a fist and pumped it twice. She was back down stairs and grabbing her ready bag out of her car and then catching a taxi to the hotel. She phoned Ren on her rush there.  
"I have permission to come, stall them for me."

"Agent Hobbes has just called to say it's taking longer than he thought to rent the SUV he requested. I think you have time to get here." Ren told her.

Jennifer arrived ten minutes before Bobby with the SUV. Darien was glad to see her, but he didn't give her a hug like Ren did. "I'm glad you are coming too." Ren hugged her hard the minute she set her bag down beside his. "Alright you two." Darien rolled his eyes at them. This group of people should make for interesting sleeping arrangements.

"Did you really get permission?" Bobby asked when he pulled up to the hotel and jumped out to help load the stuff. He wanted things where he could put his hand on what he wanted with out looking for it.

"Yes, you can call and ask Jim for yourself if you don't believe me." She offered him her cell phone.

"No, if you say they gave you the go ahead then I believe you." Bobby nodded.

"You packed regular clothes didn't you Turnbull?" Bobby asked, keeping a low profile was going to be the key to catching up with Arnaud.

"Yes, Sir." He handed his bag to Bobby and watched where it was place in the back.

"Would you drive us out of town?" Bobby asked, he didn't mind the yes, Sir. But he didn't want to order the Mountie around like he was his Lt.

"I be glad to drive." Turnbull took his place beside the drivers side of the SUV.

Jennifer handed him her bag. Then Darien said something to Bobby that only he could hear. He nodded and they both exchanged a look.

Darien sat up front with Renfield and Bobby took the seat behind the driver.

They tracked him halfway to Montreal the first day. Every few hours they changed drivers. At the rate they were driving Bobby expected to catch up to him the next day if he made any stops that lasted longer than a few hours. But he didn't seem to be taking a direct route. He'd started south then gone east, then north and now he was going east again. Darien finally took a nap after his turn driving. His adrenaline rush at the beginning made him antsy when they started out, but now he'd crashed. Bobby was driving and his partner was snoring softly in the seat behind him. Turnbull and Darien took turns in the passenger seat, since they both had long legs. Jennifer was also in the back, she wasn't sleeping easily, or she was dreaming.

"Is she always like this?" Bobby asked Renfield.

"I don't believe so, she'd never mentioned having trouble sleeping." Ren shook his head.

"Come on you can tell me Turnbull. Are you and Jen seeing each other"  
Bobby asked, Darien had neglected to tell him that Ren was gay.

"No, Jennifer and I are friends, but we aren't dating. I don't know her sleeping habits from first hand experience." Ren admitted.

Jen mumbled something in her sleep and shifted her position. She was now leaning against Darien in her sleep and Darien loved to cuddle, as soon as she came into contact with him, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. If that didn't help her settle down and sleep soundly, then Bobby didn't know what would. They looked very cute together in the rearview mirror.  
He was right that did the trick, a minute later she was settled against Darien and sleeping quietly.

"If you aren't seeing Jen then who are you seeing?" Bobby asked to give him something to talk about.

"I'm not really involved with anyone right now." Renfield admitted.

"Why not, you're a good looking guy, you have a upstanding job in the community." Bobby kept probing.

"I just haven't found the right person." Ren sighed.

"I know that feeling. My ex put me in a real tail spin when she decided she didn't like my job, or my hours and booted me out the door." Bobby explained.  
He glanced in the rearview mirror again at his partner. He thanked God every day that Darien was in his life now.

"I'm sorry to heard that, break ups can be very difficult on both parties"  
Ren wished he could change the subject. Darien didn't seem to have a problem with his sexual orientation but Hobbes seemed a little more old school. He wasn't sure he should tell him.

"So do you want to have a partner? Or you've decided to just stick to the single life?" Bobby was getting the idea that maybe Ren had a few things more in common with him and Darien than a law enforcement career.

Ren turned to look at Bobby, that question sounded like he already knew.  
"I think being single is best, especially with all the moving my career requires.  
Most guys don't like to move every two or three years."

"Yeah, you're right. Any couple that has a member who's job has them relocate all the time puts a real strain on things. I don't know how people in the service do it. I wasn't married then, so it didn't matter." Bobby explained.

"Don't tell me, you were a Marine right?" Ren chuckled.

"Got it in one." Bobby laughed too. Once a Marine always a Marine.

While the two men were talking in the front seat, Jennifer was sleeping deeply and dreaming. Being cuddled up to Darien was giving her subconscious it's first break from constant vigilance in a very long time. Just the presence of a male body next to her during sleep, had triggered a hard wired reaction that let her relax. She would be embarrassed in the morning to know she'd been laying all over Darien in her sleep, but she was enjoying it.

Darien woke up when they made a pit stop for gas and a bathroom run. He found Jennifer using him for a pillow, his arm wrapped around her body holding her in close. He hated having to dislodge her from her comfortable position, but he needed a pee break. He slipped his arm from around her just as Bobby opened his door and climbed out. The change in noise level must have wakened her. Jennifer push up off of him and blinked, "Oh where are we?"

"Outside of Montreal." Darien told her.

"Darien, I'm sorry for treating you like that. after what happened the other day I have no reason ..." She began to apologize.

"Don't worry about it, we kept each other warm. Besides now we can take the next driving shift and let Bobby and Ren get some sleep." He suggested.

"Okay I'll drive." Jen offered.

They followed a winding route towards Montreal, but Arnaud seemed to be in no hurry to arrive in the city. Darien wanted to just go there and wait for him. But Bobby wasn't sure if the demented scientist/doctor was really headed for Montreal, he might just be leaving a difficult trail.

They spent the next day driving up and down the highways of the Provence.  
Arnaud was always moving, his blimp paused only long enough for a gas stop and little else.

That evening Bobby was ready to call a halt to this game of chase and go with Darien's plan to drive to the nearest large city where he could try and cross the border or get a flight out of the country. So the stopped at a hotel for a nights sleep.

"I need a room with two beds please." Turnbull was sent to check in for them as he spoke the local language. They used Bobby's agency credit card and he signed for it but Turnbull did most of the talking.

"Bonjour, "

"This should be interesting." Darien was grinning, two beds and only one lady. She might be feeling a tiny bit nervous at the notion.

Renfield tried to carry both his bag and Jen's up to the room. But she wouldn't let him take her bag.

Jennifer wasn't worried about the sleeping arrangements for her sake she was the only one who didn't know that Bobby and Darien were a couple.  
She was concerned that they would be uncomfortable sharing a bed. Mostly because she was present and it would look like funny. Little did she know that wasn't a problem.

"I can sleep in my bed role on the floor." Renfield offered as soon as they were all in the room.

"No, don't be silly, I don't have a problem sharing a bed with you." Jennifer smacked him on the arm. She'd already cuddled up with Darien in the back seat it might be just as nice with Ren.

"Don't" Bobby warned Darien was he was about to say something to make Jennifer blush.

"Fawkes and I can share this one, as soon as we get settled lets all get some sleep." Bobby said with a warning tone in his voice that told Darien he really didn't want to play games and tease Jen right now.

Bobby took a turn in the bathroom first, he was changed into pajama pants and a tee shirt and claiming his side of the bed closest to the door. Jen went next she was wearing sweat pants and a tee shirt as well went she came back out after brushing her teeth. Darien had less to choose from but he kept on his undershirt and dropped his pants when he was beside the bed.  
Renfield also wore sweat pants and undershirt to bed. He hesitated when he got to his side of the bed.

"Could you grab the light Ren." Darien called from his place on his back. Bobby had given him a hard glare, like don't even try it. We aren't going to put on a show for her and Turnbull. Behave.

"Oh, yes of course." He turned out the light, and crawled carefully into the bed.

Jen let him settle in, then whispered to him, "Stop acting like we don't know each other and move over here." He was perched on the very edge of the bed, giving her as much room as possible.

"I didn't want to crowd you." He whispered back.

"Come on Ren, share some of that body heat with me. I'm cold." Once she put it that way he moved towards the center of the bed and she wiggled in beside him. "Can I ?" She asked before moving onto her side and tucking a hand around his upper arm and resting her check on his shoulder.

Renfield kind of liked having her snuggled up beside him. He certainly didn't mind it, he loved Jen after all. She was his best friend.

"Thanks, I'll sleep better with you here." She told him.

"I'm glad." He whispered back.

Darien was disappointed that Bobby was making him keep his distance. But he didn't really want to shock the other two with a display of affection.  
He knew if they were going at it in the next bed, he'd feel creepy about it.

Bobby slept his usual five hours and woke up well before dawn. So he took the time to have a hot shower and shave. He was about to wake Darien when Turnbull returned to the room with four cups of coffee.

"Hey thanks, your turn." Bobby smiled at the tall Mountie.

Ren took a very short turn in the shower and shaved in no time. Darien was attempting to get moving. So Jen hurried through her morning routine. Darien showered, and changed but didn't shave or for once spend ten minutes on his hair.

They were back on the road with breakfast from a local dinner in the form of egg and cheese on croissants sandwiches.

Renfield and Jennifer were in the front seat and Bobby was figuring out the best route to Quebec.

"So Jen did you sleep well?" Darien asked from his place behind her in the back seat.

"Yes I did thank you. Ren is as comfortable as you are to sleep with." She told him, teasing him back.

Bobby laughed, and sipped his second cup of coffee. Darien had left himself open for that one.

"Thank you, I think." Renfield said.

"No, that was a compliment Ren, you shared the covers, your body heat and let me snuggle in close so that I felt secure." She confessed.

"The last thing is the most important." Bobby chimed in. He knew because he so rarely could enjoy that luxury.

"Snuggling?" Ren misunderstood Bobby's comment.

"He means feeling secure, don't you?" Jennifer turned to look at Bobby.

Darien was silent, as he listened to his partner explain.

"Yeah, it's nice to relinquish control to someone else, being so close to Renfield when you were sleeping let you completely relax and sleep well.  
A woman in our profession is a guard so much, has to be on alert all the time. You should borrow him again sometime." Bobby told her.

"Don't you ever feel like you want to relinquish control and allow someone else to be your protector? Or are men not wired like that?" She asked.

"Yes, and no, I have a problem with not being in control. But I can't speak for these two." Bobby answered her.

Jennifer turned to look at Darien. Wanting to hear his answer.

"I have the luxury of having Bobby for a partner, so he is my security." Darien admitted. The look he gave Bobby, told her he meant that more deeply than just as professional partners.

Jen wasn't surprised, not really. "How about you Ren?"

"Other than when I was a boy and used to get bullied. I'd have to say that my life hasn't been very dangerous. But I've never worked with criminal types like this Arnaud person. Or served in a war. Or lived in a city that made me worry about my safety. " He told her. "If you would like to have me sleep over sometimes so that you can sleep and relax I would certainly be willing." Ren smiled at her from behind the wheel.

"Thanks, we'll see." She laughed. She would probably take him up on that offer once they were back in the city.

They arrived in Quebec the middle of the day and drove to the airport area of town to find a place to wait and see if Arnaud would arrive soon.  
His blimp on the tracking device had him moving towards the city but not in any kind of a straight line.

Bobby began to worry that they had made the wrong decision about going ahead and waiting for him. When after more than an hour his blimp didn't change locations. Darien had gone with Ren to find a fast food place up the street so only Jennifer was with Bobby.

"Damn it, I think we need to recharge this thing or get a new battery"  
Bobby was afraid he'd loose the signal and never get it back.

"Do you have the charger? Does it take the universal kind?" She tried to look a the hole on the side but there didn't seem to be one.

"No, Eberts gave it to me, but I think you just change the battery." Bobby pin pointed Arnaud's current location and said a prayer under his breath that it didn't loose him when he turned it off.

He hit the switch turned it over and opened the back. It took six double AA batteries. "You wouldn't have a stash of batteries on you would you?" Bobby didn't even know why he was asking.

"I have some double AA ones that I just put in my portable CD player"  
Jennifer grabbed her bag from the back of the SUV and pulled out her player. She popped out the four batteries and handed them to Bobby.

"Any chance Renfield has any in his stuff?" Bobby asked, Darien would have if his bag hadn't been lost.

"I'll look," Jen pulled his bag to the edge of the tail section of the back compartment and looked for anything that needed batteries.

"We brought lunch." Darien called out as soon as he rounded the corner of the parking garage.

"What's the matter?" He asked next, as he saw Jennifer rummaging in the back of the car.

"Ren do you have any batteries?" Jennifer asked as soon as he was in sight.

"Yes, look in the side pocket, there should be a package of them there"  
He was carrying a holder of drinks, in both hands. He set them down on the hood of the SUV and moved in beside Jennifer. He went straight to the pocket that held the batteries.

"This side pocket." He told her, "What size do you need?" He held up two different sizes of batteries.

"Double AA." Bobby asked hopefully.

"Yes, here you are." Ren handed them to Jennifer.

"Great, lets get this thing fired up again." Bobby put the batteries in place and closed the cover. He turned the receiver face up and hit the on switch and crossed his fingers. It took a second for the screen to become visible. But there is was the blimp he was looking for. Only it wasn't in it old location or even anywhere near it. "He's moving, he's only fifty miles outside of town, if he in finally making his move we should know very soon." Bobby told them all.

"Woo hoo!" Darien yelled , "Come to papa, you Swiss mother."

Darien ate his meal quickly and then began to pace. He wasn't good at waiting any more. He use to be able to be patience and wait for the best time to hit a target or sneak into a building. But now when it was a chance to finally get Arnaud he was finding it difficult to maintain his cool.

"Do you mind me asking why Darien is so eager to catch this man?" Renfield asked.

"Know one filled you in?" Bobby asked.

"No, I have no idea." Ren sensed there was more to this than just a law officer finally catching a man he'd been after.

"Arnaud killed Darien's brother. Darien was there when it happened." Bobby told him the short edited verison.

"Oh, no I'm sorry to have brought it up." Renfield looked at Jennifer thinking she would have warned him.

"I didn't know either." She looked shocked and saddened for her new friend.

"Darien I'm sorry." She moved towards him.

But he was to focused on his plans for Arnaud to acknowledge her concern.  
"He'll be alright once things start happening." Bobby told her, while waving her away from his partner.

"He's headed towards the airport, we need to find a good vantage point to watch for the truck we planted the bug in. It was a late model Ford Explorer white and blue, with a dent in the side panel near the passenger door and plate number G4938." Bobby told them after flipping to his notes.

Darien and Turnbull took the forward positions nearest the main entrance to the parking structure and Bobby and Jennifer watched the side where there was both and exit and a one way entrance. They were down to three cell phones that worked. So Jennifer gave her's to Darien.

"We'll try and corner him, using the SUV, don't take chances with this guy he won't hesitate to shoot you." Bobby warned them.

After another hour of waiting the truck they were looking for arrived just as it was getting dark. There weren't many parking spaces on the first level so he was going to have to drive up to the next level or even the third to find a place to park. Darien notified Bobby he'd arrived.

"Get ready." Bobby was waiting in the SUV to casually follow Arnaud and try and pin him in.

The truck drove into the entrance and a gloved hand reached out and picked up the ticket.

"It's him." Darien hissed over the connection.

"Take it easy buddy, we'll get him this time." Bobby urged Darien to stay calm.

Bobby waited for him to turn the corner on the first level of the parking garage then he pulled out and followed him. Jen was loping up the side stairwell to keep an eye on the truck and Darien and Renfield were running up the stairs on the front of the structure. Bobby turned the corner on the second level just in time to see the truck turn the corner on to the third level. He was headed for the mostly empty floor above.

"He's headed for level three." Bobby told them all he drove a little faster and saw the truck pulling into a parking spot in the middle of the row but right next to a pillar. It was a perfect spot to get him pinned in. Darien rushed to the third floor, with Renfield only steps behind him. He burst out the doorway at the top and saw Bobby moving into place with the SUV.

Jennifer was motioning to him to keep a low profile, he was drawing to much attention with his hurried movements. Then everything happened at once.  
Bobby pulled his SUV up and blocked the truck, Arnaud realized he was in trouble jumped out of his seat and leveled a gun at Darien who was still rushing towards him from the stairwell. Renfield was right behind him.

Jennifer yelled" He has a gun get down!" As she tried to put herself between Darien and the suspect.

"Drop your weapon Arnaud!" Bobby yelled he was braced behind the open door of his vehicle.

"I don't believe I choose to surrender." Arnaud replied and aimed for Bobby.  
He shoot off one round at Hobbes then shifted his attention towards Darien.  
Renfield tackled Darien just as the shot was heard. But it was poorly aimed and hit Jennifer and spun her around, knocking her off balance. She was hit in the side and would have fallen over the railing on the side of level three if it weren't for Bobby's lighting fast reflexes. He returned fire on Arnaud,  
saw him either go down or quicksilver out. Heard Jennifer yelp when she was hit. Then covered the thirty feet in record time to grab her as she toppled over the railing.

Renfield heard Jen's gasp of pain also and was up off of Darien is a flash.

Bobby managed to grab Jennifer's arm as she fell, he locked his fingers around her wrist and yelled. "Hold on Jen."

He tried to look around for Arnaud, but he could get a look behind him. He sensed movement behind him, he had to put some faith in his partner and Turnbull to cover his back. His grip on Jen was good, but he didn't have good leverage. His legs were wide apart for balance, his feet braced against the wall which she'd fallen. But he was going to need help to get her back up to safety.

That was when Renfield arrived, he grabbed Bobby by the waistband.  
"DO you have a good hold on her?" He asked, as he attempted to look past Bobby's head to see Jennifer.

"Yeah, I've got her." Bobby nodded.

"Then I'll get you." Renfield said, placing a large hand in the middle of Bobby's chest and giving a powerful heave he pulled Bobby up and back which worked to lift Jennifer up so that she slid back over the railing.

Bobby felt like he'd been gang tackled, the way Turnbull manhandled him.  
But as long as Jen was safe it didn't matter. He had hand print shaped bruise on his chest by the end of the day.

"Ren I think I need a medic." Jennifer said, between clenched teeth. The pain felt more like she'd been poked with a hot branding iron, than anything.

"Where's Darien?" Bobby asked, once Jen was safe. Turnbull was already checking her to see how badly she was hurt.

"He was on the ground to the left." Renfield added.

Bobby turned to look for his partner. Darien was no where that he could see.  
Which didn't mean he wasn't there. "Fawkes where are you?" Bobby hadn't heard any more gunfire, but in the rush of trying to save Jen it was possible he might have missed it. He hoped Darien wasn't injured but still invisible.

"Jen needs medical attention, I'm calling for help." Turnbull advised, and pulled out his cell phone.

Bobby searched the area for his partner, it was possible Darien was chasing Arnaud on foot. He tried calling the cell phone Darien was carrying but it didn't get him any answers.

Darien had seen Arnaud pull of his mask and slip out of his long coat. He covered himself with quicksilver so he could see his enemy and followed him as he ran for the terminal.

Darien had no idea what Arnaud might do if he thought he was trapped. He might even try to take someone hostage. Darien thought if he could get a straight flat area for a few seconds he could out run Arnaud. He was closing in on him, when Arnaud ducked into a side door that came open when an employee was leaving. Darien managed to grab the door before it closed and follow. They were inside the area that luggage was sorted for the flights it was assigned. This time of day must have been shift change it was empty of people.

Arnaud was trying to avoid Darien while at the same time think of a plan.  
If he boarded a plan while he was invisible it would make like difficult on the other end. He only had materials planted at certain locations. If he choose the wrong plane he'd be in worse trouble than before.

He ran to the far end of the luggage area and out one of the small doors where it was loaded from the carts. He circled around the end of the building with the plan of stealing a car, or possibly getting his own truck back. He got only one glimpse of Darien behind him. He thought he might have gotten away. He slowed to a walk and tried to see if there was any way to get to his truck. There appeared to be an ambulance treating someone on the third level. He must have hit Hobbes when he took a shot at him. Good, one down, one to go, those two other agents with them probably weren't anything he needed to worry about.

Darien chased Arnaud to the far end of the baggage area, then lost him in a string of carts coming in from a plane. He searched and saw no tell tail image. He cursed out load that he'd lost his advisory again.

He pulled out his cell phone but it was busted from the tackle he'd taken from Turnbull.

Bobby was searching the truck but he didn't find any information that was helpful about Arnaud's plans. He pocketed the keys, and the small catch of money he found, but that was all. The local police department was going to impound the truck.

Two EMT personnel were working on Jennifer. They said her injury needed attention, and loaded her up in the ambulance. Ren rode with her to the hospital.  
While Bobby stayed and waited for Darien.

"Ren you stay with Bobby, Darien might need help." Jennifer protested.

"Go with her, I'm fine and don't give me any lip." Bobby gave an order.

"No, I wasn't going to." Ren nodded and climbed in the ambulance.

Darien came limping back to the parking garage a few minutes later.

"Damn where have you been?" Bobby ran over to him as soon as he exited the stairs.

"I tried to call you, but." Darien held up smashed cell phone.

"Oh, you lost him?"

"Yeah, but he's going to find it difficult to get out of here with out a mask"  
Darien informed his partner.

"I know I had to hide it before the local cops get here." Bobby said.  
"Is Jen okay?"

"She was hit, but it didn't look serious. They just took her to the hospital a couple of minute ago." Bobby continued. " That Renfield is good back up, what the did you think you were doing running straight at Arnaud like that?"

"I wanted him so bad, I didn't care if I got hurt in the process." Darien shrugged.  
"But Ren knocked me out of the line of fire, I think he saved my life."

They moved towards each other then and shared a quick hard hug. Both relieved that they were still whole, and together.

The sound of a tow truck arriving with a local police car made them move apart.  
It took two hours to explain, fill out a report and then find the hospital.

Ren had called once to tell them Jennifer was doing well and she didn't even need surgery. It had been a thru and thru injury, she needed stitches and medical treatment but she would be fine.

When it came time to say goodbye Darien and Bobby filed into Jennifer's room at the hospital. She wasn't seriously hurt, but the doctor still wanted her o stay for observation.

"I'm sorry we got you into this Jen." Bobby bent over and looked into her eyes.  
He'd have hugged her goodbye if she wasn't injured. Then he moved aside so Darien could say his goodbyes too.

"I'm sorry you got hit, it was my fault for acting like I did. But you shouldn't be trying to get between me and Arnaud. Keep in touch, and let us know when you come back home." Darien kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll e-mail you." she smiled up at him.

"Renfield, you're a good man to have as backup. Let us know if you're even in California." Bobby saw the bigger man offer him his hand, but he pushed past it and embraced him. Turnbull returned the hug, even leaning over some so they were closer in height.

"It was a pleasure working with you Robert." Ren told him. Once the hug ended.

Darien was smiling when it was his turn to speak with Ren, he'd liked the big Mountie from the beginning and now he owed him his life. "What can I say man,  
thank you." Darien inclined his head, shook it a little then moved in for a hug. "I owe you one." They hugged hard, but only for a few seconds.

"It was exciting working with you Darien, but I don't think I need that much excitement." Ren told him. " Let me know if you catch up with him, and if you're ever back in Ottawa we can get together."

"You get her home safe for us." Bobby added, motioning towards the lady in the bed.

"I will." Renfield nodded, he knew his duty were Jennifer was concerned.

As their plan lifted off Darien was already half asleep. It was a drastic difference from when they had arrive in Canada. Bobby was just tired enough that he might get a little sleep on the flight home. But he didn't count on it.

"Seasons come and go, life moves on, but the friends you make along the way,  
will tell your story better than any legacy you may leave behind."

end 


End file.
